{Extravagant Love}

I am amazed today to be loved by SO many---how blessed am I? I walked into my classroom today---the day before the big Christmas program that so many of you know about---even if it's not mine. You've sat through "the Christmas program"--whether it was your mother's "cantata" at church growing up, the big Christmas pageant, the Children's choir program, the December PTA meeting---and musical program to try to lure the parents there so they can vote on various agenda items, the band, orchestra, choir concerts. You know EXACTLY what I'm talking about! BUT, for me---it's "MY" program! I'm the crazy teacher in the gym without a microphone screaming out instructions to 225 of the most beautiful children you'll ever see! YEP---today was THAT day. ANYWAY (the rambling, the rambling) I walked into my classroom and saw a bag in my chair from the Verizon store---seriously. So I opened an iPhone 4 box with a giftcard that said, "K-- Word reached the North Pole that your phone was out of order! Take this to my elves at Verizon and get a new one! From: Santa " WHAT? There was a giftcard to the Verizon store---

I just stood there and began to cry---it's 7:31 and the make up is BLOWN! (and no, I wasn't wearing the waterproof mascara---you'd think I have learned by now...) anyway, I couldn't even believe it. I had wanted an iPhone when my phone began acting up and then I realized---hellooooooo, it's CHRISTMAS and you have way too much to spend your money on right now. I had two different people GIVE me their old Blackberry's and I just gave up the iPhone thing---really, I was TOTALLY over it---so I was just blown away at this extravagant gift---it's not that this money is a Lexus or anything, but it's money that people--someone--just GAVE to me....to love me---just because.  It's not a NEED---I HAD that need met by two kind hearted souls who gave me an old phone.

When I mentioned it to a friend---in disbelief, she just said, "you are loved"---more tears. I had a parent at school bring me dinner tonight because she knew it was a crazy week and thought it would bless me. Another colleague at school called me today while I was in rehearsal and said she was picking up a Chick-Fil-a giftcard for me to use for dinner tomorrow night so I wouldn't have to mess with it. All of this happened TODAY---within a 10 hour span of time.

It was crazy---and, as I have a tendency to do, I began to ponder this today. Each time I was met with an outpouring of love I was SO HUMBLED that someone would go out of their way for me---seriously. I'm a  pretty independent person. I can get a phone, I can make a meal--or TWO---but the LORD kept reminding me today how loved I was---and that it's a GOOD thing to let others show their love to me in tangible ways. I work with the most amazing group of women. I'm SO grateful for their support and love--that in itself is a gift. I couldn't do this job without them. I could NEVER pull off a program without them. They always amaze me---I'm so thankful for them---especially this year. When your heart is tenderized---by God or man---you can either become bitter or more tender. I want to end up more tender. I don't want to become jaded and angry by my circumstances---I think the LORD is just using his sweet servants here on this earth to remind me to let the situation make me more tender.

One of the things I love about one of my dearest friends is how very tender her heart is. Repeatedly over the last year, I have watched her HURT for someone that many of us would judge. She's not "just a cryer"!!! Her HEART is tender---she's felt real pain and I think the LORD has made her more tender---not harder. Please God, let me become tender-hearted like this sweet sister. I turned to her today and just told her of this gift and she just smiled that knowing smile and said, "I KNOW"---I later had to describe this to her as an "Extravagant gift"--because that's just what it is to me. I don't need this phone---I don't need a meal, I don't need TWO MEALS! These are extravagant gifts of love to me. I looked up the word extravagant and here's what it says:

ex·trav·a·gant

adjective

1. spending much more than is necessary or wise; wasteful: an extravagant shopper.

2. excessively high: extravagant expenses; extravagant prices.

3. exceeding the bounds of reason, as actions, demands, opinions, or passions.

4. going beyond what is deserved or justifiable: extravagant praise.

5. Obsolete . wandering beyond bounds.

ummmm, yes, yes, and yes---on all accounts today! Extravagant love---it was shown to me today---I can't help but think of the most extravagant gift ever given---that Jesus Christ---the God of the universe would "put skin on" and come down to this earth to live among us--the wretched people that we are....to DIE. That GOD the Father would SEND his son to do such a thing---EXTRAVAGANT gifts---life changing gifts. I hope I can show my son---and my students this extravagant love this Advent season and point them to the One True Gift--Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God for this indescribable gift~

{Thirty Days of Thanks~Day 30}

I can't believe it's been thirty days....I can't believe it's nearly December. Let the whirlwind begin! I have so much MORE to be thankful for---this is one of the reasons I did this again this year. It's been a good exercise for me to continually be aware of my blessings. I will forever be grateful for your support---via facebook, email, comments. I have been overwhelmed with those of you who have prayed for me and my family. How very blessed I am to have so many friends. So THANK YOU for all of that love---So many of my friends from "the past"---(hee) have contacted me and have been so kind. If you have called---my cell phone is on it's last leg, and often if I'm with Joshua I just don't pick up the phone. I don't want to talk about all of this in front of him---so please understand that sometimes I just think I'll call you later---then it's three weeks later all of a sudden....HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?? SO, I "end" this month with a heartfelt thank you to you--those who have put up with posts about my dog and my scrapbook! ;D  This blog has always been a place for me to just share part of my life---so thank you for embracing it and me. I hope your Advent season is the best yet and that you are truly searching for the Christ in your life on a daily basis. Thanks for reading! I will be posting more this month---but much of it may be different than November--more pictures, more crafts, less talk...well I say less talk---but we'll just see about that!

{Thirty Days of Thanks~Day 29}

Oh my---I'm not going to make it by "the 29th" for my 29th day--oops! I TOLD myself I'd get to bed early tonight, but I AM a music teacher with a big program to do next week and there is much to be done. SOOOOO, I'm a little behind on posting to the blog!

I can't believe an entire month has gone by and I haven't posted about this girl:

She has been such a blessing to me---of COURSE she has---but I'm talking specifically about helping me in my single motherhoodness (yes, I just made up a new word and I LIKE it.....making up words, that is!!)~I have amazing friends who help me with Joshua as needed---but sometimes it's best to just ask a family member. Caitlin has been willing to do anything I've asked---she's driven to my house, run Joshua around, picked him up at school, etc. She has stood in the gap for me when I needed someone---and all of this with a BABY, too. Joshua LOVES hanging out with her and her family---and I love that. There aren't many 10 year olds who have the joy of being an uncle and brother in law! He likes that part of his life. It's been a family joke for sometime now that Joshua didn't know Caitlin existed for the first few years of his life---he knew Hannah---but Joshua even called Caitlin, Hannah and Caitlin has INSISTED that Joshua didn't even know she was around during those years---well, HE DOES NOW!!! She is IN his life---often at her own inconvenience. It has been a HUGE blessing to me not to mention fun for Joshua to hang out with his older sister---oh, and while he's at it, he can be a cool brother in law and uncle, too! So, thank you Caitlin---for your selfless, easy going way---for always trying to work it out so you can be available to help me. It doesn't go unnoticed--and I'm SO grateful. I love you and I'm so proud of you~

{Thirty Days of Thanks~Day 28}

Oh---the late night post---THIS is why I was posting late at night for the NEXT day's post.....so I didn't look down at 11:32 with the day almost over before I had a moment to write up a post! BUT, here I am---tonight I'm grateful for perspective. Don't you LOVE that? It's funny, Joshua has been studying the Renaissance in class and one of the things they have studied is "perspective"---looking at a "picture" of something (drawn on a flat surface) that appears to get smaller as it "moves away from" the viewer---that's definitely NOT an expert definition---but this is how Joshua and I have talked about it. I had never really THOUGHT of it in art---until he and I began to discuss it---yes, I'm a loser about the visual arts---I try, but it's not a natural inclination for me!

I mentioned last night that we were studying for his history test and this whole concept came up---like a short answer sort of question that he'll need to know about--so we had some time to discuss it. After I put him to bed, I began to think about perspective---and how it really does change the way one sees something. Perspective---for me is often the act of "stepping back"---in my mind to get the whole picture. This has been a useful tool for me as I've walked through the last few months. I have had to "step back" and see the bigger picture at times---about numerous things---to really understand something. It's a good thing. I couldn't help but be reminded of 1 Corinthians 13 when Paul spoke of perspective or clarity in the last few verses.

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

These verses reminded me that "love" to a young child is really different than what "love" is to an adult.....I think some of the reason why is perspective. Don't get me wrong---there's MUCH more to it than  just perspective---but I feel like ALL of the growth that happens to us gives us perspective---it's like a mad cycle. Turning round and round until we have the proper perspective of Christ---I think my cycle will turn awhile longer---but at least it's turning, I guess. See you tomorrow, I hope!

{Thirty Days of Thanks~Day 27}

WOW! I can't believe Thanksgiving break is over and it's time for school to start back! I don't usually cook on Sundays, but tonight I had some steak that needed to be cooked, so I made a nice meal for me and Joshua. We were watching the Patriots game (he's a BIG fan of all teams Boston---who knew?) and I was wrapping garland with lights---it seems that ALL my garland needed new lights this year---ugh...that takes SOOOOOO long---but, I digress. I decided we'd eat in the den and finish the game together. After we prayed, Joshua asked, "Why are we having such a nice meal?" Sad---I know. "We are celebrating going back to school", I said. He dropped his fork and just looked at me---"....because we only have THREE WEEKS left until two more weeks off!!" I continued! WHEW!!!  SCORE!!! Does this teacher/mama know kids, or what? He decided he would still eat with me since I added the second half of the sentence and we enjoyed our meal. After dinner, we cleaned up, he helped me put up my garland outside (yippee!) and then we headed upstairs to decorate his tree. Of course, when we arrived, we found that the lights on his tree don't work this year---great. So yet MORE lights had to be replaced. I just giggled and began the process of cutting off the lights---it's one of those trees that the lights come ON the tree, so they are practically HARDWIRED on! As I did the tree, he played Legos and we talked, studied for a history test, talked some more---made some decisions that needed to be made. It was an "ordinary day"---like many days I've spent with all three of my children. I treasured this day, though---I wish I could convince young mothers to do this! It's so hard when you have three young children around---you never get a moment to yourself, you never have an adult conversation between the hours of 8AM and 6PM...the ordinary can seem so mundane. But I will tell you---on the other end of parenting---that your children REALLY DO grow up too fast, they really do leave home and go to college and meet someone, fall in love, get married and move away (even if it is only a few miles.) They aren't living in your home anymore---the treasured moments come less and less often. This is the way it is supposed to be---but it's not fun. I am so grateful for some perspective as I parent my third child---I was selfish when my girls were little. Don't get me wrong---we read a lot of books, played lots of dress up, had tea parties, doll drama, played "newscaster"---and I watched MANY, MANY full on ballet productions. AND, I was engaged with them, but I think part of me just longed to be doing something else. I hope I've not just confessed what no other mother has ever felt, because I may be quite ashamed of myself if so. I think this is probably a normal response to living the life of a stay at home mom---it is the hardest job ever.  I LOVED it---but I wish I had treasured all those moments more. I have always been struck by the " but Mary treasured up all these things pondering them in her heart" verse in the gospel of Luke. I have wondered why this was written---was it just for the harried mom who needs to be reminded that these are the beautiful things in life? I needed this reminder often,  because now---on the other end, I realize it is gone in a blaze---and before I know it this boy will be in the CrAZY Junior year, or going off to college or meeting his bride at the end of the aisle.

WOW----again, that sounds so dramatic! But that's how fast life goes sometimes. I hope you will join me in treasuring all that happened today---perhaps your children are already gone--but you can still treasure the beautiful moments in your day. Maybe you are the mom stuck at home with three kids---or whatever random number---just find ONE thing today and "treasure it up and ponder it"---save it to remember at another time. I hope your day was a blessed one. Thanks again for stopping by!

{Thirty Days of Thanks~Day 26}

Today, I am thankful for the Body of Christ---one person in particular---who would be mortified if I publicized who he is. He has reached out to my son and thus to me several times in the last year---always at times when I wonder if the Lord didn't just prompt him to do it. He is a giver---I know of several times he has reached out to bless people/organizations who need it---monetarily. Again---it's totally confidential, so that's all I'll say. God used him in my life this week to meet a need. One that I couldn't have met---and I don't really want to say that HE did it, because I truly believe this is the Body of Christ working in the most beautiful way.....he would never want any glory, thanks, or accolades for doing what he can do. I can do other things in the Body---this is what he can do. SO, today---for this man---doing what he can do--what he's GIFTED to do--in the body of Christ to minister to another member---I am thankful. Praise the Lord.

{Thirty Days of Thanks~Day 25}

Oh my! I'm so late today---so sorry about that! I did this today:

This is actually a picture of last year's Christmas stuff---I didn't take a picture of it this year---even though this room is now a beautiful APPLE GREEN and it looks so pretty---I figured you could figure out what I was doing with any picture! Actually, most of what I did today was put lights on my garland for my deck---I had NO idea it would take me so long---THAT is why people buy garland with lights ALREADY ON-----AHHHHHH! GOT IT!

Anyway, it's done now, so that's good. I hope to get a lot done this weekend. Next week will be crazy for me, so if I don't get a lot done this weekend, it just won't happen. I'm so grateful to have a day to get started on this.

I am looking forward to this season. Christmas has always been one of my favorite times of year. I love how festive everything looks, I love my home at Christmas---I'm no Martha Stewart, but I do enjoy adding extra color and fun to my home at Christmas. I love wrapping up pretty packages (and tying them with string---had to say it). I AM using brown paper packages this Christmas---just so you know! Lots of brown paper, red ribbon and newsprint/music print. It ought to be fun!

Anyway, today I'm grateful for a few things---for the start of the Christmas season---White Christmas was officially viewed today---we didn't finish it, but we started it and that is a big deal around here! Christmas music was turned on. Garland was put up....I'm grateful.

I'm also grateful I survived yesterday---that sounds quite dramatic, I know. I don't mean for it to---but it was a hard day for me and I'm just glad to have made it through that "first" major holiday. We took pictures for my Christmas card---here's a peek---yet another thing to be thankful for. In spite of the circumstances I find myself in---I have a beautiful life---here are a few reasons why! I hope your "black friday" was a great one---I didn't go to ONE store---I usually do---but the internet called! Let me know how YOUR Thanksgiving was!